Electric cigar lighter



Feb. 24, 1942. A. A. JOHNSON 2,274,063

ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER I Filed Oct. 31, 1956 INVENTOR dsa g- 6 i @W[INIIIIIIII M {[IHIPIIHIII &

Patented Feb. 24, 1942 ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER Arthur A. Johnson,Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Automatic Devices Corporation,Bridgeport, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application October 31,1936, Serial No. 108,556

17 Claims.

This invention relates to electric cigar lighters, and moreparticularly, to cigar lighters in which the energizing circuit isautomatically broken when the heating element has been brought todesired temperature.

Heretofore it was proposed to provide a cigar lighter in which theigniting unit is moved from a normal position on a holding device whereit is in open-circuit relation with an energized cur rent to another orclosed circuit position where the heating element of the igniting unitis connected to the energized current. It was also proposed to provideautomatic means whereby the igniting unit would be returned tonon-energizing position when the heating element was brought toincandescence for use. Such devices depend for their successfuloperation upon some movement of the igniting unit or the heating elementthereof, and if, for any reason, such movement is impeded or prevented,such device, as previously proposed, would not operate successfully.

According to the present invention, relative movement between theigniting unit and the holding device is not depended upon for openingthe current supply circuit when the heating element is ready for use. Tothe contrary, the igniting unit and the heating element may remain inenergizing position and yet the circuit is opened at the proper time.

According to the invention in its preferred form, not only is thecircuit opened without requiring movement of the heating element or theigniting unit. but the circuit is maintained open, once it isautomatically opened, until the igniting unit is manually withdrawn fromenergizing position and returned thereto.

In the type of electric cigar lighter illustrated herein and to whichthe present invention is applied in one exemplary form thereof, thecircuit through the heating element is closed by manual movement of theigniting unit. However, in the broader aspects of the invention, it isnot essential that the circuit be closed by movement of the ignitingunit, but the same advantages result whether the igniting unit is movedor not, so long as there is a manually movable member of some kind whichis moved from a normal nonenergizing position to an energizing position.

In the form of the invention herein illustrated, the objects abovereferred to are carried out in a simple and efficient manner, andwithout adding materially to the cost of producing the cigar lighter.

One of the important features of the device herein disclosed is theprovision of a thermostatic member which is so disposed inheat-conducting relation to the heating element that as it is heated bythe heating element it moves closer to the heating element, therebyimproving the heat-conducting relation between the thermostatic memberand the heating element, and making available thereby greater power tooperate a switch. The accelerated action of the thermostatic memberabove referred to makes the operation of the device less critical. Thethermostatic member and the switch mechanism operated thereby are soarranged that the circuit is broken with a snap action, thereby avoidingarcing, and the switch is so arranged that when it cools and tends toreturn to its normal position, it is prevented from doing so by thepresence of the igniting unit or other manually operable means in itsenergized position,

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of thecigar lighter, showing the igniting element in normal or non-energizingposition.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but shows the igniting unit partly in sectionand shows the igniting unit in energizing position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but showing the position of the parts when theautomatically operated switch has snapped to open circuit position.

Fig. 4 shows the automatic switch after the cooling of the thermostaticelement, and particularly illustrates how the circuit is prevented frombeing reclosed until the igniting unit is removed from energizingposition.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing how the contacts on the holding device engagethe heating element of the igniting unit and hold the igniting unit inenergizing position.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the switch mechanism.

In the form of the invention hereindisclosed, there is shown a holdingdevice ill in the form of a well or tube which may be secured in anysuitable manner to a support such as an instrument board ll of anautomobile. As shown, the open end of the well In is providedwith screwthreads l2 to receive a nut 13 by means of which the well is clamped ina hole in the instrument board, the well being provided with struck outportions l4 engaging the rear surface of the instrument board.

The igniting unit I5 is in the form of a plug adapted to be slidablyreceived by the well l0 so as to be movably mounted therein from anormal inoperative position shown in Fig. l to an operative positionshown in Fig. 2.

The inner end of the igniting unit is provided with a heating element I6comprising a spiral coil of resistance wire mounted in a cup l8 to whichthe outer end of the wire is secured. The inner end of the wire issecured to a post W. The heating element, in the form shown, isremovably mounted on the igniting unit, the end of the latter beingprovided with screw threads 20 to receive a screw threaded cap 2|secured to the cup i8 by riveting over a head 22 of the post l9.Interposed bet een the cup i3 and the threaded cap 2| is an insulatingwasher 23 and a contact disk 24, the disk being in electrical contactwith the post I9 and hence with the inner convolutions of the coil.

The body of the igniting unit may be made of any suitable material, but,preferably, has its handle portion 25, which extends well I!) and whichis either wholly or partially made of translucent material so that lightemanating from the heating element may impinge upon the same so that thetranslucent portion will glow and indicate to the user when the devicehas been brought to incandescence. In the form shown, the handle portion25 has a lens 26 constituting a translucent portion for this purpose.The lens 26, or such other translucent portion as there may be, is inlight-conducting relation with the interior of the igniting unit whichis made hollow, and the cap 2|, disk 24, cup l8, and an insulatingwasher |8a within the cup are provided with aligned apertures 21 so thatlight from the heating element may pass to the interior of the ignitingunit and ultimately impinge upon the translucent portion thereof.

The igniting unit has a reduced portion 28 and a shoulder 29, the latterbeing in position to be engaged by a rather abrupt bend 39 of aresilient tongue 3| struck out from the material of the well H] in theform of the invention shown. The abrupt bend 30, as shown in Fig. l,defines the normal inoperative position of the igniting unit in theholding device, and it is only when the tongue 3| is deflected byintentional manual pressure on the igniting unit that the shoulder 29may pass the abrupt portion 31. The end 32 of the tongue 3| normallyengages the igniting unit beyond the shoulder 29 and fricticnally holdsthe igniting unit in the socket. When it is desired to move the ignitingunit to energizing position, pressure on the igniting unit flexes thetongue 3| upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which positionthe tongue tends to prevent casual movement of the igniting unit.

In the normal position of the igniting unit on the holding device shownin Fig, 1, current does not flow through the heating element. When theigniting unit is moved to the Fig. 2 position, however, the disk 24,connected to the inner end of the coil H and the cup l8 connected to theouter end of the coil ll, are brought into engagement with currentsupply terminals of opposite polarity. In the form of the inventionherein disclosed, one of these current supply terminals is constitutedby a contact member 33, U- shapcd in form (see Fig. 5), and havingsharply depressed portions 34 to ride over the periphery of the cup l3and electrically engage the same when the igniting unit is moved toenergizing position shown in Fig. 2. The contacts 33 are mounted on apost 35 extending through an aperture in the bottom wall 3-5 of the well10 and at its outer end is provided with a screw threaded eyond theportion 31 to receive a lug 38 connected to a current supply wire 39,which lug is held in electrical contact with the threaded end 31 by nuts40.

Besides contacting with the cup portion [8 of the heating element toconduct current thereto, because of the depressed ends 34 the contactmember 33 holds the igniting unit in energizing position against casualmovement therefrom.

In the energizing position of the igniting unit, current is conducted tothe contact disk 24 by a contact 4| carried by a switch arm 42 pivotallymounted on ears 43 struck out from the wall of the well |B. The well maybe in any suitable manner connected to the source of current supply.Usually, it is connected thereto through the instrument board H, whichin turn is connected to the battery or other source of ciurent.

As soon as the igniting unit is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2,current flows through the heating element to heat the same for use.

To automatically open the circuit when the heating element has beenbrought to the desired degree of incandescence, there is provided athermostatic member 44 in the form of a strip of bimetallic metal. Oneend of the strip 44 is riveted or otherwise secured to the well l0 sothat the strip extends diametrically across the well, The other end ofthe strip is connected to an arm 45 of the switch arm 42. When thebimetallic strip 44, which is located directly in front of the heatingcoil H, becomes heated hereby, it attempts to move to the right, asviewed in Figs. 1 to 4. This rocks the switch lever 42 so as to withdrawthe end 46 of the contact 4| from the disk 24, and when the heating coilapproaches the desired degree of incandescence, the end 45 of thecontact 44 snaps by the edge of the disk 24, the contact 4| beingresilient and being mounted so as to yield until the switch arm 42 andcontact 40 arrive at the position substantially as shown in Fig. 3.

In becoming heated and in flexing as a result of the heating, thebimetallic strip 44 moves toward the heating element, thereby increasingthe effective heating of the bimetallic member and making it moverapidly to open the circuit between the end 46 of the contact 4| and thedisk 24. It will be noticed, however, that in so moving, the bimetallicmember 44 does not alter the position of the igniting unit I5 or theheating element It thereby, but these parts are allowed to remain intheir energizing position. If the igniting unit is not removed for useby the user but is allowed to remain in energizing position, cooling oilof the heating element and the bimetallic strip 44 will tend to returnthe switch arm 42 to its normal position shown in Fig. 1. To avoid thecircuit being reclosed under these conditions, the contact 4| is soarranged that it cannot return to contacting engagement with the disk24, but, instead, flexes outwardly as the switch arm 42 is returned toits normal position.

To insure the proper flexing movement of the contact 4|, the end of theigniting unit adjacent the disk 24 is made of insulating material and ispreferably provided with an annular semicircular groove 4'! which, uponbeing engaged by the end 46 of the contact 40, causes the end to becammed to the right and away from the contact disk 24. In order toreclose the circuit under these conditions, it is merely necessary forthe operator to withdraw the igniting unit from energizing butelectrically disconnected position shown in Fig. 4 to the non-energizingposition shown in Fig. 1, during which movement the contact 4| isallowed to escape from the groove 41 and return to the upright conditionshown in Fig. 1, where it is in position to be engaged by the disk 24when the igniting unit is again moved to energizing position.

If, as is intended, the igniting unit is removed for use when thetransparent portion 26 of the igniting unit glows, the bimetallic strip44 will cool off while the igniting unit is being used so as to returnthe switch arm 42 and contact 4| to the normal position shown in Fig. 1before the igniting unit is returned to normal position.

With the device of the present invention, the disadvantage of holdingthe igniting unit in place manually while the heating element is beingenergized is avoided, but no part of the igniting unit or the heatingelement must needs move in order to open the circuit when the heatingelement has been brought to incandescence. Yet, if the igniting unit isnot moved or removed after it has been brought to incandescence, thecircuit cannot be automatically reclosed, except after the performanceof the special manual operation of moving the igniting unit tonon-energized position and then returning it to energizing position.

As stated above, in the broader aspects of the invention, it isimmaterial whether the heating element or igniting unit themselves bethe parts which are manually moved to close the circuit, and it iswithin the scope of this invention to automatically open the circuit andprevent its being reclosed whether the circuit was originally closed byactual movement of the igniting unit, or heating element, or some othermanually movable part.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a holdingdevice; an igniting unit mounted on the holding device for completeremoval and replacement in use; a heating element carried by theigniting 'unit; cooperating contacts on the holding device and ignitingunit; manually operated means for moving the igniting unit from an idleopen-circuit position to an operating position wherein the contactscarried by the igniting unit are in engagement with the contacts carriedby the holding device to establish an energizing circuit to said heatingelement; means automatically operated when the heating element has beenheated for use for moving at least one of said cooperating contacts toopen the circuit, said igniting unit remaining in operating positionduring said opening of the circuit; and means for retaining said contactin open-circuit position and preventing reclosing of the circuit by saidcontact until said igniting unit has been moved from operating positionto idle position and then back to operating position.

2. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a holdingdevice; an igniting unit mounted on the holding device for complete re-7 moval and replacement in use; a heating element on said igniting unit;cooperating contacts carried by said holding device and igniting unit;manually operated means for moving the igniting unit from an idleopen-circuit position to an operating position wherein the cooperatingcontacts are moved into engagement to close a circuit to the heatingelement, one of said contacts being resilient and yieldable;heat-responsive means connected to said yieldable contact for moving thecontact out of engagement with a coacting contact upon the heatingelement attaining a desired heat, the resilient contact yielding duringmovement thereof whereby the igniting unit remains in said operatingposition as the circuit is opened; and means carried by the ignitingunit for engaging said movable contact and holding the same againstreturning to closed-circuit position upon cooling of the heatresponsivemeans.

3. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a holdingdevice; an igniting unit mounted on the holding device for completeremoval and replacement in use; a heating element carried by theigniting unit; an energizing circuit for said heating element; aself-returning thermally-operated switch in heat-receiving relation withthe heating element for opening said energizing circuit when the heatingelement has been brought to a predetermined temperature; manuallyoperated means movable from an idle open-circuit position to anoperating position for engaging and closing said switch to establish anenergizing circuit to said heating element, the manually operated meansremaining in operating position during said opening of the switch; andmeans controlled by the said manually operated means for engaging aportion of said switch while in open-circuit position and preventing thereturn of said switch to circuitclosing position upon cooling thereofuntil the manually operated means has been manually removed fromoperating position.

4. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a holdingdevice; an igniting unit mounted on the holding device for completeremoval and replacement in use; a heating element carried by theigniting unit; cooperating contacts on the holding device and theigniting unit; manually operated means for moving the igniting unit froman idle open-circuit position to an operating position for establishingan energizing circuit to said heating element; a self-returningthermally operated means in heat-receiving relation with the heatingelement 'moving one of said contacts relative to another of saidcontacts for opening said energizing circuit when the heating elementhas been brought to a, predetermined temperature, the manually operatedmeans remaining in operating position during said opening of thecircuit; and means on the igniting unit for engaging and preventing thereturn of said moved contact to normal position until the manuallyoperated means has been manually removed from operating position.

5. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a socket-likeholding device; a pluglike igniting unit mounted-on the holding devicefor complete removal and replacement in use; a heating element carriedby the igniting unit; manually operated means for moving the ignitingunit inwardly of the socket from an idle open-circuit position to adeeper operating position; cooperating contacts carried by the ignitingunit and holding device for establishing an energizing circuit to saidheating element in said deeper position; means automatically operatedwhen the heating element has been heated for use for moving one of thecontacts with relation to a cooperating contact and opening the circuitto the igniting unit, said igniting unit remaining in deeper operatingposition during said opening of the circuit; and means carried by theigniting unit for engaging the contact when moved to open-circuitposition for preventing reclosing of the circuit by said contact untilsaid igniting unit has been moved outwardly from operating position toidle position and then back inwardly to operating position.

6. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a holdingdevice; an igniting unit mounted on the holding device for completeremoval and replacement in use; a heating element carried by theigniting unit; cooperating contacts carried by the holding device andigniting unit; manually operated means for moving the igniting unit froman idle open-circuit position to an operating position for closing saidcooperating contacts and establishing an energizing circuit to saidheating element; means automatically operated when the heating elementhas been heated for use for moving at least one of said cooperatingcontacts and opening the circuit; means for releasably holding theigniting unit in operating position during the movement of said contact;and means for engaging said contact and preventing reclosing of thecircuit until said igniting unit has been moved from operating positionagainst the resistance of said holding means to idle position and thenback to operating position.

7. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holding device, an ignitingunit mounted on the holding device for complete removal and replacement;a heating element on the igniting unit; manually operated means forclosing a current supply circuit through said heating element toenergize the same; and a thermallyoperated switch for opening saidcircuit when the heating element has been brought to a predeterminedtemperature, said switch comprising a contact member and a bimetallicstrip for operating the contact member, said bimetallic strip beingmounted on the holding device for movement toward said heating elementas the bimetallic strip is heated by said heating element, whereby theheat-conducting relation between the heating element and the bimetallicstrip is improved as the temperature of the heating element increases.

8. A cigar lighter comprising a holding device; an igniting unit mountedon the holding device for complete removal for use; a heating elementcarried by said igniting unit; an energizing circuit for the heatingelement, said circuit having Y a movable contact in normalcircuit-closing position; manually operable means for closing saidcircuit upon movement from an idle open-circuit position to an operatingposition; heat-responsive means for moving the movable contact from v anormal circuit-closing position to an open-circuit position withoutmoving said manually operable means from said operating position; andmeans for preventing the return of said contact to normalcircuit-closing position upon cooling of the heat-responsive means untilthe manually operable means has been withdrawn from said operatingposition.

9. A cigar lighter comprising an igniting unit having an electricalheating element thereon; holding means for supporting said igniting unitfor movement thereon and complete removal for use; means for closing anenergizing circuit for said heating element by movement of the ignitingunit on said holding means from an idle open-circuit position to anoperating position; heat-responsive means in heat-receiving relationwith said heating element for opening said circuit upon the heatingelement attaining a desired heat without withdrawing the igniting unitfrom said operating position; and means for maintaining said circuitopen after operation of said heatresponsive means so long as theigniting unit remains in said operating position.

10. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a plug-likeigniting unit having an electrical heating element on its inner end; asocket in which said igniting unit is mounted; cooperating currentsupply contacts on the igniting unit and the socket; means for movingsaid igniting unit to a position in which said contacts engage forestablishing an energizing circuit to said heating element; aheat-responsive member operative upon predetermined heating of saidheating element for moving one of said contacts out of cooperativerelation with a coacting contact to open said energizing circuit whilesaid igniting unit remains in energizing position; and means forintercepting the contact so moved to prevent the heat-responsive meansfrom returning said contact to circuit-closing position until theigniting unit is removed from energizing position after the circuit hasbeen thus automatically opened.

11. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, an ignitingunit having an electrical heating element on its inner end; a holdingdevice for movably supporting the igniting unit; cooperating currentsupply contacts on the igniting unit and the holding device; means formoving said igniting unit to an operating position in which saidcontacts engage for closing an energizing circuit to said heatingelement; a heatresponsive member operative upon predetermined heating ofsaid heating element for moving a Contact on the socket out ofcooperative relation with its related contact on the igniting unitwithout moving the igniting unit from operating position; and meanscontrolled by the igniting unit for holding said contact in saidopen-circuit position and against circuit-closing movement by saidheat-responsive means during cooling thereof so long as the ignitingunit remains in said operating position.

12. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a plug-likeigniting unit having an electrical heating element on its inner end; asocket in which said igniting unit is mounted; cooperating currentsupply contacts on the igniting unit and the socket; means for movingsaid igniting unit to a position in which said contacts engage forestablishing an energizing circuit to said heating element; aheat-responsive member operative upon predetermined heating of saidheating element for moving a contact on the socket out of cooperativerelation to its related contact on the igniting unit so long as theigniting unit remains in energizing position; and an insulating means onthe igniting unit adapted to be engaged by said movable contact on thesocket upon cooling off of the heat-responsive member for preventing thereclosing of said circuit until the igniting unit has been moved fromand returned to energizing position.

13. The invention as defined in claim 12 in which said movable contacton the socket is yielding to permit the heat-responsive member to returnto normal position upon cooling while said contact is engaged with saidinsulating means.

14. The invention as defined in claim 11 in which the heat-responsivemeans extends diametrically across the socket in front of the heatingelement and moves closer to the heating element as it becomes heated bythe latter.

15. The invention as defined in claim 11 in which the heat-responsivemeans is connected to the contact by a bell crank pivotally mounted onthe socket in such position that said movable contact is moved radiallyaway from the contact on the igniting unit when the heat-responsivemeans operates upon heating of the heating element.

16. The invention as defined in claim 11 in which the other two contactsare disposed on the socket and igniting unit respectively and so engagedin the energizing position of the igniting unit as to hold the ignitingunit in energizing position against casual removal therefrom.

1'7. In an electric cigar lighter of the class described, a plug-likeigniting unit having an electric heating element at its inner end andhaving a shoulder; a socket in which the igniting unit is mounted tomove from a non-energizing position to an energizing position; and meanson the socket adapted to engage said shoulder and yield ingly resistmovement of the plug to energizing position in the socket, said meansfrictionally holding the plug member in the socket in energizingposition when the igniting unit is moved to energizing position.

ARTHURA. JOHNSON.

